Cybernetics
The gruelling physical hardships of life on the Highway can leave a Character mauled and while a few decades back this would result in a retired Road Warrior, but in 2095 it is possible to replace body parts to enhance a Characters function and allow them to return to the Highway. Some Characters see Cybernetics as a sort of evolution and seek to enhance themselves with Cybernetics, replacing perfectly working body parts with Cybernetic parts, while other see them only as a means to compete with their enemies as they grow in power and size. Cybernetic Implants Max500 worked slowly the Boys skin was not all gone and what little remained was badly burned and scarred, the Nutrient tank dripped its precious blue fluid as he worked, he rarely needed this much and it was expensive to replace someone's skin, but he thought the boy would be grateful for having his life saved, even if it meant he would owe a favor for the work, and Max500 could do with people owing him Favors. The implanting of Cybernetics occurs during a Campaigns Downtime Phase when a Character needs to replace some body part, One Off Characters can be purchased with Cybernetics with their starting wealth. Each Cybernetic provides its own effect and modifiers as listed below. Cybernetic Arm Replacing an arm can prevent permanent limb loss from keeping a Character of the field, but as they work slightly differently that a natural arm the character gains a +0 Close Combat bonus and -1 Drive Skill if they have one arm, while they gain +1 Close Combat and +0 Drive Skill if they have a pair. Close Combat: +0 / +1 Drive: -1 / 0 Psychosis: +1 Weight: 10 Cost: $800 Cybernetic Leg As with a Cybernetic Arm a character that has a crippled leg can have it replaced so they can return to the fight. If a Character has one cybernetic leg they gain +2cm to their Speed and suffer a -1 to Drive Skill, if both legs are replaced the character gains +4cm Speed and suffers no Drive Skill penalty. Speed: +2cm / +4cm Skill: -1 / 0 Psychosis: +1 Weight: 15 Cost: $1,000 Cybernetic Eyes Blind Characters are unable to function in any real sense on the Highway so replacement eyes are popular to keep keen on the road. Cybernetic Eyes are typically better than natural ones and a Character with a Pair of Cybernetic Eyes can see in infrared and ultraviolet allowing them to see clearly in the dark or through Smoke suffering no penalties for Night Engagements or Smoke Markers. Psychosis: +1 Cost: $2,000 Plaskin Burns and severe wounds are a constant hazard on the road and some Characters quickly have their Skin replaced with synthetic versions that provide them with better protection from dangerous environments. A Character with Plaskin gains the benefits of wearing a Rad Suit and halves the damage caused from Fire (Including Napalm). Rad Resistance: +1 Psychosis: +1 Cost: $1,800 Holoskin Some Characters find the benefits of Plaskin are not as advantageous as they could be and instead prefer the more expensive option of Holoskin. Characters with Holoskin are able to blend in with the Background providing them with a form of camouflage in the field, making them more difficult to hit. Camouflage: +1 (Increases the Difficulty To Hit the Character Psychosis: +2 Cost: $2,500 Cybernetic Lungs Damage to internal organs is common when character get shot in the field, and replacement organs are commonly available in the PZ and even the NoGo has Chop Shop Docs that will fit a new organ for the right price. Characters with Cybernetic Lungs suffer no ill effects from breathing Smoke and toxic chemicals. Gas Resistance: +1 Psychosis: +1 Cost: $600 The Plug - Types While nobody suffers a severe injury to their computer interfacing organ, the rapid development of neural interfaces and the cybernetic/bionetic offshoots is now allowing CyberPlug™ and NeuroPlug™ , plus Neurowires™, which links the Plug to a system of artificial nerves that lay beside the Characters natural neural nerve pathways, allowing their body to run software programs. A Character with The NeuroPlug™ can install and use software directly on their brain allowing them to carry useful software in their heads for use in Vehicles and On Foot situations. NeuroPlug™ wires allow skills and information to go straight from a Plug to a character. They come in Knowledgesofts, Linguisticsofts, and Skilledsoft. Knowledgesofts give the character an encyclopedic type of knowledge, rather than a skilled one; Linguisticsofts - language, while Skilledsoft give access to manual (physically active) skills. '' CyberPlugs™ are cybertechnological implants that allow characters to directly access computer systems including vehicle and Interweb systems, and informational systems with their mind. They typically resemble a coin-sized port which is implanted at the back of the head running along side the spin/skull connection (just below the brainstem) or either on the side of the head close to the stem. However they can be places else where though cost is often inhibitive. CyberPlugs™ are the most common cybertech enhancement and are considered essential for modern daily digital life. Despite superficial similarities, a CyberPlugs™ should not be confused with a NeuroPlug™. '''Hack Resistance:' +1 Psychosis: +2 Cost: $2,500 Dermal-'Smartlink' ' A '''Dermal-Smartlink is the feedback loop circuitry necessary to take full advantage of Smart Targeting Systems. Targeting information appears on the user's retina or cybernetic eye as a small dot or a cross hairs that corresponds to the smart weapon's current line of fire. Typical systems use a sub-dermal induction pad (hence the name dermal smart link) in the user's palm to link with the smart-system. It requires a smart weapon link on the Hand weapon weapon, though ($300 conversion.) '''Ranged Combat:' Allows a character to re-roll (D3+1) 1's once per game. Psychosis: +1 Weight: 0 Cost: $800 Robots and Mutants Cybernetics are generally built to a very specific standard so as to be able to work with Human Biology, this results in them being unable to be implanted in Mutants as their biology is so different from Humans, however with extensive work a Mutant can have a modified or scrap built Cybernetic Implant though all costs are doubled for Mutants who wish to have Implants. Robots are Machines and replacing a Leg or other Cybernetics is not generally useful or necessary and they instead use Robotic Augmentation rather than Cybernetics, as such a Robot cannot have Cybernetics Implanted into their body. See Also Sidearms Character Equipment Melee Weapons Light Weight Weapon Character Design